Quick setup time and flexible usage help expedite contaminant removal and eliminate discharge liability...
Large electroplating companies have enough disposal problems without having to worry about metal contaminants in their effluent. This was the problem one of the industry's largest electroplaters faced, because it had 0.510 ppm complexed copper in its discharge. Occasionally, this additional copper, the result of cyanide treatment, put the Midwest company near the allowed 1.7 ppm limit. After various removal methods did not help, the company contacted ATA Technologies of Cleveland, Ohio, which employed its Aqua-Fix Technology to remove the copper.
The process is a proprietary technology formulated to reduce copper, lead, zinc, mercury and other heavy metals found in aqueous waste streams to nondetectable levels. Delivered as highly porous granules, the process helped the company meet its stringent discharge standards by removing contaminants in their most difficult form, dissolved/ionic. The process combined adsorption, absorption, ion exchange and chemical bonding to capture and hold the contaminants until the granules were ready for regeneration. The process can be chemically customized to treat specific contaminant streams.
The Midwest electroplater set up a pilot system. The unit was placed after the gravity filtration units. Within a short time, copper was successfully removed without high capital or operating costs. The average copper concentration in the wastewater was 1.5 ppm. However, the plater desired a consistent discharge of less than 1 ppm. The system helped the plater achieve a consistent effluent of 0.6 ppm average, often with individual readings of 0.4 ppm or less.
The pilot program included support services. The supplier routinely inspected the electroplater's unit and conducted regeneration services as needed. Sampling and testing services were available to determine the current effectiveness of the process. Additionally, should the plater's limits or requirements change, the system can be upgraded. Addon modules are also available to upgrade existing treatment systems for optimum efficiency or to meet new compliance standards. PF